Sub-par Performances Shut Down Solar Bears

Orlando's Shoddy Play Helped Houston Prevail. The Solar Bears Had Two Shots In The First Period.

October 12, 1997|By Tim Turner of The Sentinel Staff

Orlando Solar Bears coach Curt Fraser hasn't panicked yet about his team's 1-3-0 start, but there should be concern in his team's locker room.

Including the comeback Friday night, Orlando hasn't played well in its games. Saturday night perhaps was the lowest point of this young season when the Solar Bears were trounced by Houston, 7-3, before 5,165 at Orlando Arena.

Orlando coach Curt Fraser has seen enough. A shakeup could be in store if the team can't get its act together soon.

''I can't put up with this anymore,'' Fraser said. ''It's still early, but a lot of good players have been offered to us over the last couple of days. We have to do something.

''We can't continue to have this selfish play where players are putting their teammates in bad positions. We've been getting undisciplined and sub-par performances from a lot of players. I know these things are correctible, but I want them fixed now.''

Orlando never was in Saturday's game. The Aeros dominated the first period as it was played primarily in the Solar Bears' end. The result - Orlando broke a team record (previously done four times) for the fewest shots taken in a period with two.

At 11:29, Houston (3-0-2) went up, 1-0, on a lax defensive effort. Mark Freer, allowed to skate into the Orlando zone untouched, whipped a pass in front to Ken McRae, who buried it for his third goal of the season.

The second period was a head-scratcher for both teams. Orlando had no offense for the bulk of the period, and its shoddy defense couldn't skate without picking up unforgivable penalties.

Of the four goals surrendered, three were on the power play. The last of them, McRae's second of the period and third of the game, came on an extended 5-on-3 chance after Orlando was nailed for three penalties in a row.

''They just took a few bad penalties, and this early in the season, the referees are going to call them,'' McRae said. ''We worked hard on the power play in practice. We were able to take advantage of them, just like they did in their comeback last (Friday) night. We tried to let them back in at the end of the period, but down 5-1 is hard to come back from.''

Orlando mustered some token offense late. Ben Hankinson steered Jeff Buchanan's shot between the pads of Larry Dyck at 17:36. Then, 57 seconds later, Hubie McDonough batted in his first goal of the season to pull the Solar Bears to within two goals, 5-3, by period's end.

The Solar Bears are idle until Wednesday night when they play the Manitoba Moose at the O-rena at 7.